Method for maintaining disk array management information

Abstract

A method for maintaining disk array access management information specifies a specific area in a random access memory (RAM) of a computer system or a disk array controller for storing management information of a disk array. The management information area is defined as a disk in the disk array and updated synchronously with the management information of a disk in the disk array. When the disk stores data by an array, the management information of the disk array will be saved synchronously into the management information area of the RAM. If all disks are hot plugged or unplugged, the disk array controller retrieves the updated management information from the RAM of the computer system or disk array controller, and saves the management information back into all disks after the installation of disks is completed, so as to prevent the disk array controller from being unable to operate.

1 . A method for maintaining disk array management information, comprising:
 specifying a management information area for all disks in a disk array, for storing a management information for storing a disk array;   specifying a data area excluding said management information area for all disks in a disk array, for storing data;   specifying a management information area in a RAM and setting said management information area as a member in said disk array and synchronously updating said management information of said disk in said disk array;   saving said data into a corresponding data area of said disk when said disk array controller saves said data;   in the same time storing said management information in said disk and said management information area of said RAM by said disk array controller;   detecting the operation of all disks through said disk array controller; if any disk is removed by a hot plug method, said disk array controller will retrieve an updated management information from said management information area of said RAM and store said management information back to said disk when said disk is reinstalled; and if all disks in said disk array are removed by said hot plug method, said disk array controller will retrieve an updated management information from said management information area of said RAM and store said management information back to said disk when said disks are reinstalled, so as to continue the operation of said disk array controller.   
     
     
         2 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein if said disk array controller detects the operation of all disks and all disks are operating normally, then a saving process will be continued. 
     
     
         3 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said RAM stores management information into a predetermined specific area. 
     
     
         4 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said RAM is installed to a computer system. 
     
     
         5 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said RAM is installed to said disk array controller. 
     
     
         6 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said disk array controller is installed to a computer system by an interface method. 
     
     
         7 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said disk array controller is installed independently outside a computer system. 
     
     
         8 . The method for maintaining disk array management information of  claim 1 , wherein said disk includes a data accessible by a method selected from the collection of JBOD, N-RAID, RAID 1, RAID 2, RAID 3, RAID 4, RAID 6 and RAID 7 for accessing said data.